Whether you own a business or manage a company’s property, many jobs need to be done to provide efficiency amongst the workforce. However, one element often gets forgotten about, particularly within offices—the carbon dioxide levels within a building.

Due to our many years of experience, we have noticed a significant increase in staff productivity when they have the ideal environment to work in. We explore the impact of CO2 on a workforce and how monitoring the concentration in your office can help increase the productivity and efficiency of your business.

How Do CO2 Levels Fluctuate in an Office?

CO2 is a natural gas which is produced by the human respiratory system. As individuals breathe, they release CO2 into the atmosphere around them. The more people in a concentrated area, the higher the CO2 levels will be. Although many offices don’t measure it, it does have a significant impact on the workforce. It can cause short-term distraction, low productivity, and long-term health issues for your staff.

Another impact on the CO2 levels is the size of the room in which your staff work. The smaller and more confined the room, the less ventilation there is likely to be. Whereas, if you have an ample room with high ceilings, there is more space for CO2 to disburse, making concentrations less. However, whatever size your room is, if your staff suffer from drowsiness or low productivity towards the end of the day, it could be time to consider monitoring their environment to help address any issues.

The Health Impacts of High CO2 Levels

If you manage an office, there is a good chance that you may have noticed low productivity in your workforce during the last few hours of the day. Although many reasons could impact this, one significant element is that there could be a rise in CO2 levels. After several hours in a confined space, the oxygen levels will begin to drop as the respiration of your staff converts this to CO2. These high levels of CO2 can cause several health issues:

• General discomfort (odour and heat complaints)
• Headaches and migraines
• Fatigue
• Drowsiness
• Easier spread of viruses such as cold and flu
• Asthma attacks

These conditions will make staff less productive, and consistently high CO2 levels regularly can lead to longer-term health implications such as poor memory and an effect on cognitive function. So keeping your CO2 levels down is essential for most workplaces.

How CO2 Levels Can Be Monitored

To ensure an ambient working environment for your staff, monitoring the CO2 levels in an office or workplace can help increase physical and mental positivity. This can significantly improve the workflow and overall mood. At Automated Data Management, we can help provide precise monitoring with our state-of-the-art CO2 monitoring systems. Using our Gen-CO2/2/5 sensors, you can accurately measure the levels of CO2 in various environments with real-time data accessible from any mobile device.

CO2 can be measured using a non-dispersive infrared sensor, which shines light through the atmosphere. The physical properties of the CO2 molecules allow them to absorb the infrared waves, which relay the data back to the sensor to provide the concentration levels within that perimeter. The sensor will then transfer this reading to the receiver, which allows the data to be collected on our servers. Any device can access this information with an internet connection worldwide using their login details. Having this data so easy to access allows business or building managers to assess an environment, even if they are working remotely. They can then take the necessary action to help increase the airflow and ventilation.

How to Reduce High Levels of CO2 in an Office

Ventilation and airflow are required to help reduce CO2 Levels within your workspace, and there are numerous ways in which you can do this.

Natural Ventilation

If your office or workspace has windows, one of the best ways to increase ventilation is to have them open throughout the day. This will naturally create a significant airflow, allowing the CO2 to disperse and providing fresh air with adequate oxygen levels. Even with few windows, allowing air to pass through rooms can help decrease the build-up of CO2 in a designated space. Another natural way to help reduce CO2 is by increasing plant life in an office. These will absorb CO2, expel oxygen, and offer a colourful way to improve office space.

Mechanical Ventilation

Increasing airflow naturally is not always possible. For example, suppose you have an office in the basement of a building. In that case, it may not be easy to improve the ventilation without the assistance of a mechanical ventilation system. Many workplaces will use an HVAC (heating, ventilating and air conditioning) system to provide an ambient temperature for the room. Still, these can also be used to provide a healthier airflow throughout the space.

Re-Evaluate Your Space

Suppose you are noticing a regularly high concentration of CO2 with the help of our wireless monitoring solutions, and opening a window may not be helping. It may be time to address the overcrowding of your workspace. By reducing the number of staff within a room, you can lower the production of CO2 and provide a much more comfortable work environment for your team.

The Advantages of a CO2 Monitoring System

The monitors within our GeneSysGM systems, used for monitoring CO2, are wireless, offering complete flexibility to where they can be installed. As a result, they are ideal for busy workspaces such as offices and school classrooms. This reduces the need for trailing wires and can offer a discreet addition to any work environment.

The data collected is all stored within our servers, which can provide various levels of access to several users. Our systems allow you to monitor trends over time and alert office managers to take action when a problem arises. For example, high COI2 levels can increase the spread of airborne viruses, such as colds and flu, so being able to monitor the concentration can let you know when more ventilation is required. Accurate monitoring and real-time data can help you take immediate action, which can reduce the risk of the spread of viruses and is ideal through winter when ventilation is usually poorer.

At Automated Data Management, we are committed to helping businesses create comfortable environments and work more efficiently. Our CO2 monitors are just one element which can help increase your productivity. Feel free to take a look at all the services we offer, which can help provide a seamless operation and even reduce the maintenance and running costs of your business. For more information about our CO2 wireless monitoring or any of our monitoring systems, you can enquire online, and one of our team members will be in touch.